5 comments:

CJ, would you be interested in having/posting a guide to applying for chemist fed positions on USAJobs? (I am partially being selfish here)--we've been told that our agency hiring moratorium will break "soon" so if I can help people generally while also helping some applicants get past the computer and HR on my eventual position...

I would love to learn how to apply for chemist positions on USAJobs! Everything I've applied for, I never received a response. It would be nice to know how to get past the online application/HR and get to an actual person...

Interesting. A few weeks back, I attempted to participate in a "webinar" discussion which was put on by staff at the national laboratories. The question which I posted was (quoting):"I have been seeking a long-term position at national laboratories for around ten years. Yet, the overwhelming number of positions which are offered are for “project scientists”, i.e,. undergraduates, graduate students and post-docs. The few positions which I see offered do not seem to be in Chemistry, specifically Organic Chemistry. Can you please make a statement about the number of future openings for long term positions in Organic Chemistry."

The response can be heard at: http://sustainablematerialschemistry.org/news-event/events/postgraduate-career-strategies-national-lab-0#.VPYdZ_nF98E

That responses by specific panelists might be summarized as (a) Huh? What's organic chemistry? Does it have anything to do with the atmosphere? and (b) If you don't know someone there already, then you're wasting your time applying for a job with us. I found (b) to be amazingly candid.

I would venture to say that most of the principal chemist positions within Ecolab (and its acquired entities) allow for B.Sc. candidates, I suspect because the start of that career track (two rungs down) is junior chemist. As far as I've seen, only the postings in the European RD&E facilities stipulate a higher degree.